The Congress on Friday threatened to launch a nationwide agitation against the “brazen increase” in Central excise duty on petrol and diesel, leading to a steep hike in their prices. Accusing the BJP Government of “looting” the common people and “profiteering” at their expense, Congres's senior spokesperson Ajay Maken said the party would continue its fight “until this draconian taxation regime is withdrawn”.
He claimed that in every Rs 100 of petrol, Rs 51.78 was in taxes and Rs 44.40 for diesel. He demanded a White Paper on taxes imposed on fuels and the gains made by the Government, and said the party would agitate across the country. The agitation would start on September 20 from the National Capital.
“The Congress will launch a nationwide agitation against this burdening of the common man with increased taxes and flooding the coffers of the Government,” he said. Maken said the Congress would start a signature campaign at petrol pumps from September 17 and launch a big protest on September 20.
He said the party would fight this battle to reduce taxes on every available forum and challenged the BJP to come out with a White Paper on taxes on fuels and the gains thereof. “We fight for the people, tooth and nail, until this draconian taxation regime is withdrawn,” said the former Union Ministers.
He said while the Modi Government has spelt out “absurd” reasons such as “Hurricanes Harvey and Irma' for the increase in petrol and diesel prices, “it has dealt a devastating blow to the savings of the common people by brazenly increasing central excise duty 11 times in the past 3.5 years.”
Maken alleged that the increase in excise duty of Petrol since May 2014 is 133.47 per cent and that on diesel is 400.86 per cent after the central excise duty has been hiked 11 times since the BJP came to power.